


The Bet

by VengeanceAngel



Series: Attempted Drabbles [7]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22281175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VengeanceAngel/pseuds/VengeanceAngel
Summary: An innocent bet goes awry
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Attempted Drabbles [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601539
Comments: 7
Kudos: 96





	The Bet

Max frowns at Billy. “You haven’t even touched your food. What’s going on?”

Billy looks around the arcade before settling on his sister again. “Nothing.”

She rolls her eyes and glances at Dustin with a knowing look. “Something’s wrong. Just spill…”

Billy sighs and looks around the room again. “Where did he go?”

“Who? Steve?” She tries not to smirk. “Why do you care?” She looks at Dustin again and her look is definitely more victorious than amused. 

“I don’t. It’s just… he said he was getting tokens for you to play your stupid games and he’s not back yet. And I just… uh… you know I think that’s shitty and I want to tell him so.”

She shakes her head. “If you say so….” 

Dustin huffs out a breath of annoyance and starts counting out the money he brought with him. 

Steve comes over then, having been in the other room of the arcade. He’s smiling triumphantly as he holds out a large clear ball with lights on the inside. He holds another one in his hand. “It took some time, but I kicked the shit out of skee ball until I had enough tickets.”

Billy takes the gift and frowns. “You got… balls?”

Steve blushes. “Yeah… I thought it was kinda cheesy, but I really wanted to. You know… they bounce really high.”

Billy glances over at the kids. Dustin looks sullen and Max looks way too pleased with herself. He quirks an eyebrow and turns his gaze back to Steve. “You just wanted them because they light up.”

Steve frowns. “But… Max told me….”

Billy looks back at Max, who is now wearing a completely fake innocent look. “Max told you _what_?”

“That… that you had a crush on me and that you told her you would only go out with me if I gave you a sign and that this… I mean that this was it. You thought it was impossible that I liked you back so you made some crazy comment about how you’d act on the crush if I got matching light up super balls since you figured that would never happen and… and I want… I mean I had to win them so… you know… so we could….” He frowns, not sure what he’s saying anymore because he really wanted this to work out. 

Max holds out her hand for the money that Dustin begrudgingly hands over. “Told you Steve had a crush.”

Steve realizes what happened and immediately looks heartbroken. “Oh… Oh God, this is… I mean wow…”

Billy glares at Max and Dustin and then stands up and awkwardly hugs his rival. “Hey… I mean… it’s really nice of you. I’m sorry that Max and Dustin hurt you like this. I wish I could find a way to help.” He frowns as he feels Steve shake. He looks over at the kids again. “You happy now, shitheads? He’s fucking crying.”

Max’s eyes widen and Dustin has the good sense to look apologetic. They both get up and share a look. Max digs ten dollars out of her pocket and hands it to Billy, along with the ten dollars she won from the bet. “I’m so sorry. Look… Steve, please… you can have the money we were betting with. To make up for all the money you spent to win those. Oh my God… I didn’t even think….” Tears prick at her eyes. 

Billy shakes his head as Steve hasn’t acknowledged her yet. “No, you didn’t. Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I mean I think Harrington is a dick, but I wouldn’t have done this messed up shit.” He motions to the door. “It’s a good thing you brought your bikes. Go home. No arcade night for either of you.” He watches them go and then pats Steve on the back. “They’re gone.”

Steve looks up, tears in his eyes from the laughter he hid so well. “You fuck… I can’t believe you got their money.”

Billy smirks. “I told you so. It was a good plan. I knew that shit was going to run with it as soon as I told her about that stupid ball thing. I told you she’d do something with it.”

“Yeah, and when she actually came and told me that, I had a feeling she made a bet with someone and I knew I was going to lose. Lucas was my first choice, but when she invited Dustin tonight… well, that made it even better.”

“And now we have money for the movie we wanted to see _and_ we got out of the night with the kids that was supposed to be our date night.”

“You’re a fucking genius.” Steve leans in and kisses Billy.

“I couldn’t have done it without your stellar acting skills.”

Steve shakes his head in amusement. “Alright, big boy, I might have to reward you when we’re in the theater.”

Billy smiles. “Well… that was the bet, wasn’t it?”

Steve laughs. “Asshole.”


End file.
